MovieChat Forums > Laverne & Shirley (1976) Discussion > Why Did They Join The Army?

Why Did They Join The Army?

posted 9 years ago by richard.fuller1
7 replies | jump to latest

I just watched the two parter army episode with Vicki Lawrence, and quite honestly, while I liked the earlier bit with L&S and several other women botching up the swearing in, but the reason for them joining the army was so out of leftfield.

Private Benjamin would come out a year later, but I'm certain it was known what the new Goldie Hawn movie was about and no problem for a half hour sitcom to churn out a couple of episodes with a similar theme.

I remember attempts to make women in the army tv shows back then after Private Benjamin and they were AWFUL!

And of course, the L&S cartoon had them in the army, with Ron Palillo as a pig, which made no sense, then the absolutely strange Olive Oyl and Alice the Goon on Popeye's cartoon being in the army.

There was definitely an overkill of some sorts going on. Wonder what it was?

[–] sjbradford 9 years ago

The Milwaukee format was running out of steam at that point, and I wonder if those episodes were a test format for potential changes season 6. Instead, they shipped them off to Hollywood, which didn't add anything to the show.

[–] richard.fuller1 9 years ago

The reasoning was just so bizarre.

In both the live show and the cartoon, it involved Shirley simply exclaiming, "let's join the army!"

[–] bmhurts-770-301832 9 years ago

I didn't LOOK as for when THOSE episodes AIRED...

OFTEN... those WEIRD EPISODES ARE-PUT ON DURING 'SWEEPS TIMES' -NOW... I believe when a lot of shows end.. in MAY..(of course, the FINALES, where a lot of us tune in to see if main characters are KILLED OFF, get married, etc.. BUT OF COURSE.. WE normally are left WITH 'TO BE CONTINUED'.. RIGHT? and then, over the summer.. the show is CANCELLED!! (AT LEAST WITH ME, I SEEM TO PICK 'WINNERS!') , AND other 'SWEEPS' NOW, at least-November (so, networks can air reruns in DEC. -my thought at least..) and IN FEB. .. (and again, networks, some of them, air reruns.. before 'launching ' their run up to the 'end of season'... Well, at least now.. because shows on 'networks' do not make as many episodes during the season as they used to.. (in the 60s, 30 min sitcom seemed to make over 30 eps. per season. Now, we are LUCKY to get 20 eps. )

Yes, those WEIRD eps. are also SPINOFF PILOTS -at times...trying OUT WITHIN THE SHOW....BUT....at least NOW... the main characters are either NOT IN that episode or the 'show' 'sends' 1 or 2 of the main characters out to the 'place' and again, they are NOT the main focus..of the episode.. i.e. Criminal Minds has had a few of these... Their spin off that failed after 1 season, I do NOT remember being on the show, but last season, they 'worked' with another 'branch' of the FBI.. SPINOFF was NOT PICKED UP..

NCIS has had A # OF THESE.. 2-spin offs.. NCIS LA , NOLA, and NCIS LA-they had an episode -CODE RED.. which was supposed to be a spin off-but studio audiences HATED 2 of the main characters.. (from what I read, and CBS did not want to spend $ recasting, testing, etc..)

EVEN BACK IN THE 80S, CHIPS had a few eps WHERE PONCH and JOHN/TOM(?)OR BRUCE were NOT in the show.. The ANGEL show and they had those 2 female 'trainees' , which came back AGAIN, when they SUDDENLY were DETECTIVES.. ala CHARLIE'S ANGELS.. (not the other 'Angels' on the show..) I DO NOT BELIEVE ANY show spun off from there..!! Tried too hard to have the FEMALE COP THING???

but .. yes, finally getting to the Private Ben.. point.. HOLLYWOOD, and basically EVERYONE.. Once something gets POPULAR.. Everyone and their grandma tries to jump on board.. BUT, often, you CAN'T get that special formula.. NOR make a quick buck off of someone elses HARD WORK!! (LIKE- back in the 80s, VCR RENTAL STORES-1 on every block, or nail salons on every block..now, massage places, etc..)

[–] violetbelle 9 years ago

I don't like those Army episodes. So far I've seen three and I just don't think they're funny.

[–] richard.fuller1 9 years ago

Violetbelle: "I don't like those Army episodes. So far I've seen three and I just don't think they're funny."
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I think that's about all there were. First a two-parter, then Vicki Lawrence, who I have always loved, returned, so I believe three was about all there was.

The return episode was actually funnier, but I suspect more inspired by Private Benjamin, but the whole reason to do it; Shirley just sitting there and going, that's it, we'll join the army. Who does something like that?

It is strange now for the fifties era that neither Carmine (especially Carmine), Lenny and Squiggy had no military duty, but then that shows this was a program from the seventies.

[–] violetbelle 9 years ago

It's a good thing they only made three episodes,then.
Now, an episode of Lenny and Squiggy joining the Army would have been hilarious!

[–] richard.fuller1 9 years ago

violetbelle: "It's a good thing they only made three episodes,then.
Now, an episode of Lenny and Squiggy joining the Army would have been hilarious!"
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That would have actually made more sense, having Laverne and Shirley enlist or something BECAUSE Carmine, Lenny and Squiggy were drafted, or something, but this was the '70s, when military service didn't exist, so it didn't exist in the fifties either.

Happy Days had their one ROTC episode and that was it. Never surfaced for Chachi or anything.

I just watched the episode with Ed Marinaro as Laverne's cousin, before he returned in the California episodes as Sonny the stuntman, and I am getting a very strange hint (as I was a teen when I watched many of these episodes) as to how this one deteriorated, which actually is a shame.

It really is also pathetic how no mention of military duty was referred to in either shows, but again, that was the '70s logic that still permeates today; let's not mention it, so it doesn't exist.